RSPCA Sheffield Animal Centre has set in motion an urgent appeal to save the branch from closure.
The pandemic has made fundraising for the charity near enough impossible which has led to a reduction in donations since March 2020.
The branch is independent from the national RSPCA which means it has to rely on local support through the means of crucial charitable donations to generate its funds.
In a Facebook post, Hayley from the charity said: “There’s no help out there for charities, especially animal welfare organisations but we are still expected to be here and are still here for the animals that need us.
“Lucy and her kittens came to us this week after being found alone and abandoned after she had given birth. We want to be here for Lucy and all of our other animals but we fear we won’t be able to without your help.”
All of the money donated will be put towards the physical care, food and water of the animals, but most importantly towards repairs to keep the branch running and keep the doors open.
Operations Director for the branch, Diana Radford, told Radio Sheffield: “What we are expecting is almost a tsunami of animals requiring help after lockdown and we as a charity need to be there with our doors open to serve those animals. We plead with people if you need help don’t feel ashamed to reach out and ask for help.”
Matthew Lumb adopted his cat, Lottie, after she was found abandoned living rough with her kittens before RSPCA Sheffield took them in.
Mr Lumb said: “The RSPCA made sure Lottie and her kittens had all the medical treatment they needed before they could be put up for adoption. As soon as I made eye contact with Lottie we knew she was the right cat for us.
“The branch carried out checks to make sure we were suitable and an inspector even visited our home to make sure it was a good place for an animal to live.”
Over 500 animals per year are re-homed whilst many more are supported by the charity most of whom have been neglected or rescued from cruelty.
If you would like to make a donation, visit RSPCA Sheffield’s Facebook page.